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ISSUE: 5
QUESTION OF:Assuring the right to self-determination of all peoples and ethnicities
CO-SUBMITTERS:Slovakia, Ukraine, Georgia, Montenegro, Singapore, Chad, Malaysia, Seychelles, Guatemala

THE SPECIAL CONFERENCE,

Guided bythe United Nations Charter, which clearly states that “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims”,

Recalling the definition of self-determination, which is that all nations have the right to choose their sovereignty and international politics status with no external interventions,

Bearing in mind that a legal, recognized definition of “all peoples” is not present in international law, which results in wrong interpretations and discrimination,

Taking into account the current conflicts concerning self-determination in Georgia, Palestine, Taiwan, Chechnya, Australia, and Basque Country, among others,

Noting with deep concern that until this date, there are still numerous and violent pending and new cases where ethnicities who are a minority in a country are discriminated against and abused,

Affirming that, due to the world becoming more liberal, there are increasingly more populations appealing to the right of self-determination, making the international community’s support crucial,

Keeping in mind that most past occurrences concerning self-determination have taken place after many years of peaceful cohabitation, as a result of political problems,

Fully aware that since the early 1990s, the legitimatization of the principle of national self-determination caused an increase in the number of uprisings within states, many increasingly violent, as minority groups seek greater self-determination and even full secession,

Recalling the efforts of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), who have intervened in behalf of the right to self-determination,

Further recalling that the United Nations Millennium Declaration only partially addressed this issue, mentioning only "the right to self-determination of peoples which remain under colonial domination and foreign occupation",

Noting with regret how the principle of self-determination has been reduced from a right for all peoples to a weapon of political rhetoric,

Takes note of social difficulties of minority groups within countries due to differing cultures and beliefs,

1.Hopes majority groups will extend their support to those minorities seeking to preserve their traditions;

  1. Proposes the creation of an international policy which states that minority groups are allowed to separate from their government only if they prove all of the following:
  2. They are not well represented in their present government
  3. Their current condition violates their rights
  4. Their new government would be self-sufficient, or moving towards self sufficiency
  5. The creation of the new government will not provoke conflicts with other nations;

3.Invites the Security Council to discuss and define the term ‘all peoples’ for its use in international law, which will reduce the ambiguity of the term and misinterpretations by nations, allowing all actions for self-determination to be more focused;

  1. Expresses its convictionthat an increase of investment in education of majority groups regarding the culture, beliefs, and traditions of main minority groups and vice versa would be the best measure to preserve peace between people, seeing as this would result in:

a)The improvement of mutual understanding and respect

b)The deploring of assimilation of minority groups to majority groups’ culture

c)The prevention of unnecessary violence caused by shared distrust;

5.Requeststhe creation of an international committee similarly structured to the Human Rights Watch to monitor tense and potentially conflicting situations between people of different ethnicities and cultures cohabiting in the same region, to ensure the protection of the right to self-determination as well as to catch early any violation of this right;

  1. Recommends the implementation of a court of international arbitration correlated to the United Nations to which all states are encouraged to adhere, which will objectively determine the boundaries of self-determination to ensure peaceful cohabitation between minority groups within the same region, to promote:

a)Commodities’ exchange to collaborate towards improving the living conditions for everyone;

b)Combining the different peoples’ ideas and skills for more wide-ranging and fair political system;

c)Use of the widespread knowledge in labor specialties to further develop and stabilize the country’s economy;

7.Suggests member states to reinforce security in these areas through international security arrangements, including partial monitoring, peacekeeping forces, as well as by engaging local resources;

  1. Urgescountries to, in order toreduce the communities’ isolation and improve their welfare in the interest of individual and regional security, and lay the foundation for future reconciliation and peaceful cohabitation between divided nations, take the following measures:

a)Promote economic interactions between communities across the cultural barrier dividing them, improving socio economic conditions;

b)Rehabilitate and develop infrastructure that will enable the movement of people and goods;

c)Enhance existing mechanisms and develop new means to promote basic human rights;

d)Promote freedom of movement – as well as peaceful people-to-people interaction and contacts across the dividing line – by identifying areas of common interest and supporting joint inter-community projects and activities;

e)Support the preservation of cultural heritage and traditions, and promote them both domestically and internationally;

9.Decides to remain actively seized in this matter.